Trinidad NewsdayFriday, November 30 2007
www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,68981.html
IT WAS a frustrating two and a half hour wait at the Crowne Plaza in Port-of -Spain for Trinidad and Tobago’s female world boxing champion Giselle Salandy and American challenger Dakota Stone to weigh-in before tonight’s world title showdown.
At the end an impatient Salandy could wait no longer.
“Enough talk, time for action,” Salandy said when asked for a comment from reporters. The fight is slated for the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo.
Salandy, after a brief examination by doctors, recorded a weight of 150 lbs while her opponent recorded 151 lbs— an advantage of just one pound, before being whisked away by her handlers.
There was also a brief war of words between Stone’s management team and promoter and match-maker Boxu Potts.
Yesterday’s delay was caused by a motorcade throughout the streets of the capital city held for Salandy.
It was used to hype up the long awaited ten-round fight while reporters and other top officials waited at the Crowne Plaza.
After the weigh-in, chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago boxing Board of Control Melchoir Taylor expressed his regrets for the late start and added his board has always bent backwards to accommodate boxing.
Taylor also confirmed the board has received a cheque for US$10,000 which represented the purse for Stone. He also said a letter of commitment was received from the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs to pay Salandy US $15,000 upon completion of the bout.
On tonight’s undercard Guyana’s Winston Pompey is scheduled to take on Sean Cox while Miguel Antoine is slated to fight Trinidadian Waldron Brooks.
The card is being held simultaneously with one being put on by Gordon Hoyte and Ticos Boxing Promotions at the Cosmic Boxing Gym in Marabella.
Yesterday the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs announced their full support of the Salandy promotion and urged all local sports fans to attend the bout and support the female champion.
Trinidad Guardianwww.guardian.co.tt/sports4.htmlBY EVERARD GORDON
Salandy puts it on the line against Stone todayAt 5.20pm, Boxu Potts and a motorcade, with music blaring and Jizelle Salandy wining and waving, arrived at the Crowne Plaza for a weigh-in ceremony and doctor’s examination, that was supposedly scheduled for 3pm.
Salandy is due to defend her Women’s world super welterweight boxing titles against USA’s Dakota Stone at the Jean Pierre Complex today from 8 pm.
The entire press contingent, the T&T boxing Board of Control’s officials—chairman Melchior Taylor, secretary Molly Boxhill, treasurer John Chai Hong and other members—were kept waiting, only to be told that no arrangement had been made for the Potts show.
Potts then made arrangements and the necessary permission was granted for the weighing of the contestants after they had been examined by Dr Camille Mungroo,
Taylor then told Potts that he owed the entire audience an apology at which point, he said, “I apologise for being late due to circumstances beyond my control.” This from a man who had driven round the town in a motorcade, telling the chairman when he telephoned that he would be at the hotel in 20 minutes at 3.30pm and on two occasions after that.
There are supposed to be two supporting bouts but only one boxer in each case came for the weigh-in and medical. Miguel Antoine weighed 144lbs and his opponent, Waldron Brooks did not show. Sean Cox weighed 183lbs but his opponent, Winston Pompey did not show up.
Trinidad ExpressIan Prescott iprescott@trinidadexpress.com
www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=161243159Friday, November 30th 2007
Confusion mars Salandy, Stone fight "I feel terrible about this," declared Melchoir Taylor, chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board. "Once again the Board have bent over backwards to help boxing. But we hope this does not happen again."
Taylor had just demanded an apology from promoter Buxo Potts after members of the Board and the media had an almost almost three-hour wait at Crowne Plaza Hotel before T&T's Jizelle Salandy and American challenger Dakota Stone weighed-in for tonight's world title fight at the Jean Pierre Complex, Port of Spain.
The actual weigh-in lasted just about a minute. Stone weighed 151 pounds and said almost nothing, while Salandy tipped the scale at 150 pounds.
The weigh-in was done on a bathroom scale and not a calibrated scale, prompting further complaints from the boxing officials.
Despite the problems, tonight's card at the Complex is definitely on, starting at 8 p.m. with two preliminary bouts, before the feature attraction between Salandy and Stone.
Winston Pompey is set to fight Shawn Cox in a supporting event, while Waldron Brooks will see action against a still unknown opponent.
Taylor disclosed that the equivalent of US$10,000 had been lodged with the Board to cover Stone's purse, while Salandy's will be paid at a later date.
"We have received a letter of comfort from the Government stating that Jizelle will be
paid US$15,000 for the fight at a later date," said Taylor.
The last time Stone visited Trinidad and Tobago, on September 30, the confusion began when Salandy was declared unfit just minutes before the fight due to a low blood count.
This time, the confusion started before a blow was thrown. Yesterday's weigh-in, advertised for 3 p.m. at Crowne Plaza, turned into an absolute farce.
Both fighters were there on time, before Salandy left to participate in a motorcade, leaving the media and boxing officials waiting almost two hours before returning.
During that time, several members of the Boxing Board scampered for safety when an earthquake shook the hotel.
And a frustrated Stone moved several times from her hotel room to the lobby awaiting her opponent.
Crowne Plaza managers also disclosed that Potts had not even booked the venue and had no permission to hold a function there.
After his late arrival, Potts was pleading with hotel management to be allowed to hold the weigh-in there, while Taylor and others complained of the disrespect shown to the Boxing Board, all hoping that tonight's fight comes off without a hitch.
However, the two boxers will be weight-in today once they turn up for the fight.
The card is scheduled to start at 8pm.
Jizelle Salandy 150lb vs Dakota Stone (USA) 150. 10 rounds for Salandy’s World titles.
Sean Cox 183lbs vs Winston Pompey (did not show) 8 rounds,
Miguel Antoine 144lb vs Waldron Brooks (did not show) 6 rounds.
Trinidad Express
